


This Small World

by JasnNCarly



Series: Michael and His Magical Few [18]
Category: All My Children, General Hospital
Genre: Crossover Pairings, F/M, Ficlet Series, crossover fic, interracial pairing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-12
Updated: 2013-10-12
Packaged: 2019-12-18 14:07:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18251384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasnNCarly/pseuds/JasnNCarly
Summary: Cassandra finds an entirely new identity after tragedy.





	1. Chapter 1

 

Cassandra had no idea how to change; a new life in Port Charles should have meant she could leave the other in Pine Valley.

Instead, she found herself hiding - in her apartment, burying herself underneath layers of clothing, and avoiding phone calls from her parents.

_“I think if you meet with our survivor group…you’ll see that this problem can be conquered. You will get control of your life back.”_

The doctor had been incredibly delicate in language, patient in his approach; yet Cassandra stared at the door with nerves strangling her. Her skin crawled as she imagined discussion her damage, the skin she wished she could burn and the child she had willed away.

Cassandra pulled her hoodie down, staring at the closed door marked ‘in session’.

_No. No, I can’t._

Suddenly breathless, she turned around to see a blonde male approaching. 

It was the same one she had passed in the hallway, the guy who lived in the apartment next door. Appeared harmless, but it was strange to her that he would show up at the hospital at the same time she was…in the exact same place.

Cassandra could feel her heart begin to race, recalling the way men would approach gently only to take violently. She took her first two steps calmly but, by the third, she was running.

Slamming the button of the elevator, she tried to see through tears and saw the doors close just as he opened his mouth to speak to her.

~*~

Michael recognized the signs without anyone saying a word.

She had been broken, just as he had; her beauty was buried beneath unspeakable pain. 

That kind of silence was all the evidence he needed and, in the process of trying to help her, Michael may have made things much worse.


	2. Chapter 2

She had gone through four outfit changes before deciding on a simple blouse and black slacks; searching for a job which kept her out of the spotlight would require some finesse. Cassandra was well aware she would have to confront the world; it was the first step towards gaining some kind of control.  
  
Approaching the Metro Court, she released a deep breath and forced a smile forward. She’d happily take a job cleaning rooms if it meant she was done ‘thinking’ in her apartment and accepting money from her family miles away.  
  
“Fill this out, and we’ll call you if we have any immediate openings.”  
  
Sitting in front of the computer, she tried to avoid listing references – listing past jobs – listing anything but her current address and commit to any job she may be hired for. Even that felt slightly uncomfortable.  
  
After seven minutes, her nearly blank application had been submitted; adjusting her bag around her body once more, she stood to her feet and bowed her head – she had shown enough commitment for the day to earn her bus ride home.  
  
“Oh!” The breath had been knocked out of her as she crashed into a solid form; her eyes shot up into depths of green just as his strong hands gently grasped her biceps to steady her stance.  
  
A nervous breath left his lips before a slightly smile emerged, “Hi again.”  
  
She jerked slightly out of his grasp, clearing her throat, “Do I go to the police now or later about your stalking issues?”  
  
Withdrawing his hands, he gave a small nod, “I’m sorry if I scared you. It wasn’t intentional.”  
  
Cassandra remained stiff as he took a careful step around her; in another world, his intentions may have been pure – in this one, he could not be trusted.


	3. Chapter 3

_“I’m going to ask you to try again.”_  
  
Cassandra did not want to think about going to that group again, nor did she want to think about her father’s request for her to return home – to advocate for other victims.  
  
Instead, she was to dissolve. She wanted the rain to come and help her seep into the earth.  
  
The rain had come, right as she got off the bus and began to run towards her apartment building.  
  
It was cool against her burning skin, tempting her with calm. She smiled to herself, stopping at the entrance of her building and enjoying the rain’s power as it forced everyone off the street and slowed the traffic.  
  
When she was finally ready to go inside, she was happy to find the apartment building on an off hour. No one running downstairs, no one crowding the mailboxes, and quiet hallways.  
  
Quickly retrieving her mail, she paused as she saw the name on the top of her small pile.  
  
 _Michael Corinthos._  
  
She checked the apartment number three times before heading down the corridor; pausing at his door, thinking about their crossing paths, she decided direct contact was a poor idea.  
  
Tucking her mail under arm, she tried to find a comfortable spot between the doorframe and the doorknob for the letter to be undisturbed.  
  
When it immediately fell, she spit a curse word under her breath and bent down to retrieve the envelope.  
  
“Thanks…”  
  
Cassandra sprung to a stand upon hearing his nervous tone, appreciative when he stopped his approach and froze in place. After a moment, she extended the letter to him.  
  
Careful, Michael took another step and accepted it, “I’ll make sure I mention something to the mailman.”  
  
She gave a small nod, walking to her apartment and refusing to look back.


	4. Chapter 4

“I don’t even know how to begin to apologize…”  
  
Shame did not accurately capture the guilt she felt as they walked out of the meeting together, though they never established that this was the plan.   
  
It happened more naturally than that; towards the end of the group meeting, Michael gave her a gentle smile from across the room. For the first time in a long time, she returned the smile from a virtual stranger.   
  
They had left the meeting, footsteps in sync, and their direction had remained the same. With his hands shoved into his pockets, he stood nearby like a guard – securing her surroundings without making her as uncomfortable as her family had. This effort on his part just furthered her inaccurate assessment of the man beside her.  
  
“You don’t owe me an apology.” Michael’s words, accompanied by the sincerity circling in the green of his eyes, brought her little comfort, “Believe me, I know it sometimes feels safer to hide.”  
  
Cassandra nodded slowly, biting the inside of lower lip, and fidgeted with her sweatshirt sleeves, “I don’t even—know how to begin crawling out of the dark.”  
  
“Well…the group was a start. Continued meetings will be more important.”  
  
“…is that what you did?” She had no right to ask him the question, but her curiosity had gotten the best of her. He was the first person she had met to seem normal after the fact, after everything had been taken away…he seemed to be okay.  
  
“I didn’t at first.” Michael released a heavy breath, his shoulders dipping down, “I was lucky enough to have someone who…made me talk. She—she kind of…saw me, and she refused to let me allow  _this_  to take over my life.”  
  
Cassandra smiled with the corner of her mouth, “She sounds kind of amazing.”  
  
“…she was.” Michael shared her thoughtful smile, even as the ‘was’ hit the air, “She was my everything.”


	5. Chapter 5

“So, how’s the job treating you?”  
  
Cassandra couldn’t help but smile at his excited green eyes, more vibrant with his childlike grin, as he leaned on the counter, “You know, your mama’s gonna kill me if she sees you interrupting a busy Saturday night.”   
  
“My apologies.” Michael held up his hands in surrender, sitting on a bar stool, and raised a brow, “Should I order something so it looks like your my server?”  
  
“Sure,” Cassandra moved to pour him a glass of water, cringing and pulling at her bow tie, “I hate this thing. Uniforms are ridiculous.”  
  
“Pee Wee dress code not your thing, huh?”   
  
Cassandra narrowed her eyes at him as he hung his head, his smile widening as his chin met collarbone.  
  
In a matter of two weeks, he had managed to get her to two more meetings and helped her find steady employment. The fact that he never asked for a thing in return tore her in two. One version of her believed that he would only last so long as the good guy, one day he would cross a line that would reveal him as the big bad wolf; the other thought that his dead ex-girlfriend had somehow given him angel wings in their goodbye - Abby’s grace with him had given him every motivation to send that good karma back into the world.  
  
The latter version of her swallowed her pride, “…have I thanked you for—”  
  
“Yes, multiple times, so stop. Especially when…” Michael’s excitement had completely vanished, “I have to ask you for a favor.”  
  
 _Damn it, there it is._  Cassandra remained still, fearing what hideous and dirty request he may have of her.  
  
“My sister, Jos, she has this dance recital thing; I’m supposed to help my mom out and get her hair done for the thing. I have no clue where to start and—”  
  
His request nearly made her kiss him, just grab him by cheeks and plant a sloppy one on his lips. Out of all the things he could ask for, a way to repay him, Michael had chosen possibly the sweetest payback in the world.


	6. Chapter 6

“You okay?”  
  
Cassandra was tempted to lie to him, to start profusely thanking him again for the invite, yet she found herself staring into those sweet green eyes which told her it was fine to tell the truth, “I was thinking about home…my family used to get together—way more than we should’ve.”  
  
“We can head out whenever you want. Jos is just happy everyone made a big deal for her tonight.”  
  
They mimicked each other in motion, the distance only a step between them as they stood in his mother’s living room; his hands sliding into the jean pockets on his hips as she did the same to her back pockets. This was a commonality for them, getting just close enough to feel safe.  
  
“Have you called your mom lately?”  
  
“I did…it wasn’t a long talk.” Cassandra nodded her head into a bowed position, slightly grinding the tip of her tennis show into the carpet, “She brought up going back home again.”  
  
“Well, you’re going to have to testify.”  
  
There was the reminder she did not need. The assurance that this mess was going to continue to grow uncomfortable; part of her wanted to scream, when will it be my time to heal? When do I stop being a sideshow? Why do I have to go home to testify about what had been done to plenty of women?  
  
“I know you’re frustrated about the news, but—Cassie, it’s gonna be good for you.”  
  
Her heart slightly fluttered at the nickname she hated for anyone BUT him to use; she released a shaky breath, speaking her first thought, “Is it wrong to just wish he was dead?”  
  
Michael’s tragedy had ended differently; she shamefully prayed her result would be the same.  
  
“Look at me,” Michael’s command caused her to give, the softness on its edges caressing her jagged nerves, “If the court doesn’t get it right? We will.”  
  
There was no threat, no evil to scare her, just a promise that made her feel invincible. Alarming them both, Cassandra broke the invisible barrier between them and threw her arms around him. She latched her hands onto her elbows, capturing him in a circle of warmth, and whispering into his ear, “Now, I know it’s going to be okay.”


End file.
